When In My Own Little Corner
by Crashxin2xMe
Summary: When in my own little corner, in my own little chair .. Jack Bauer comes to save me from myself. Addition to April 30th Episode. JackChloe


**Show:** 24

**Descript:** Added Scene to April 30th Episode – What if Jack had found Chloe during her break down where she'd just been dumped by Morris? Would Jack show up on his white stallion and save his princess? I'm sure he would. He is Jack Bauer after all ..

**Pair:** Jack/Chloe of course!

Chloe O'Brian ran up the corridor, her heels clicking on the fake-granite floor tiles.

"Morris!" she stopped. He spun towards her.

"I saw you fighting with Nadia. If this is about us ..."

"I requested a field change." Morris' words hit Chloe like a stray bullet.

"What?"

"I was denied." He began to turn around.

"I'M sorry. I didn't mean what I said about –"

"About me arming terrorist bombs?! Yes, love, you did." He paused, but spoke before she could open her mouth. "We're over."

"What? No!" she muttered. Morris brought his large hand up to her smooth cheek. "We're over."

Morris then turned on his heel with finality. Chloe's lip began to quiver; finally, covering her face … she let tears fall from her eyes as she slid into a corner.

Jack Bauer was hand cuffed while seated in a red chair in security room 3.

"Your request to meet with Audrey was denied." Doyle said.

"Let me see her, please! I know what she's been through!" Jack argued, loudly. Doyle was about to arguer back when his cell phone rang.

"What?!" he answered. After a moment he uttered a "fine" and closed his phone.

"What is it?" Jack asked, recognizing Doyle's look of worry.

"Chloe's missing." He spoke as he turned on his heel to leave through the metal pad-lock doors.

"What do you mean she's missing?" Jack demanded. His blue-grey eyes riveted back and forth.

"She's gone, Jack. She got up and walked away. What do you want me to say?!" he shouted.

Jack thought for a minute. After 18 months of captivity, he'd finally saw his guardian angel at CTU; for all of 30 seconds. She had seemed unhappy, but apparently that had been an understatement. Chloe had bailed him out so many times, he'd lost count. She was always loyal and did anything he asked her to do. He thought about how helpful she had been, how many times she'd sacrificed herself for their operations. His thoughts moved on to think about the last time the beautiful sarcastic blonde sought refuge in his arms. That had to have been 2 years ago. Jack Bauer felt a warmth over take his body … just thinking of her. He realized he had to find her.

"What do you want me to say?" Doyle asked again.

"Let me find her."

"What/"

"You heard me!" Jack bit back. "Let me find her!" he paused, "I owe her!"

Doyle contemplated a few minutes.

"Fine." Doyle opened the sliding door as he shut off the security camera. "Go. You don't have much time. They're going to be after you Jack, and there's nothing I can do about it!"

Jack nodded. "Thank-you." He bolted down the corridors scanning rooms, halls and corners for the familiar sight. In just 37 seconds he'd found her in an alcove, 3 halls down from what he'd been.

Slowly, Jack made his way towards Chloe- who currently stood in the corner covering her face with her shaky hands.

He paused to look her over. He sympathized, even though the problem, to him, was unknown. Slowly, he walked behind her … humming her name- careful not to startle her. Once directly behind her, he put his lips close to her ear and whispered, "It's me."

Chloe's head jerked and she spun to face him quickly.

"Jack?!" she gasped.

He nodded. Down the hall, he heard running feet. He grabbed Chloe's arms and pulled her into a darkened hall."

"Jack! What's going on?!"

"Shh!" Jack quieted her.

After the running fee passed, Jack slid down the wall to sit on the floor. Chloe copied.

"Jack …"

"They're after m"

"Because?" she cocked an eyebrow.

"Because, Doyle let me out of custody to come find you." Jack spoke to Chloe in hushed tones.

"Why?" she questioned.

"Exactly."

"What?"

"Why?"

"Why, what?!" Chloe was becoming agitated.

"Why did you disappear?" he looked into her gorgeous eyes, "They-"

"Need me down there," she averted her eyes, "I know." She was disappointed in herself. She hadn't cried over a boy since junior high! How could she be so immature? On the worst day of the country's history no less!"

"Well, yes. But I was going to say 'they were really worried about you'."

Chloe glanced at Jack. "Yeah?" she sniffled.

"Of course … what's wrong?" She shook her head.

"I may have been gone a while, but as I recall, you do not cry over 'nothing'…" he whipped a crystal like tear from her jaw line. He looked at her with confusion. Chloe looked at him, then looked away and began to explain.

"While you were … gone… Morris and I decided to try to start over. He'd stopped drinking and said he'd "changed". But-"

Jack nodded. She took a deep breath; and he put his hand on her knee, urging her to continue. In his mind, Jack envied Morris. Somehow, he'd caught this beautiful computer analyst twice.

"We're over. He … ended it."

Jack's eyes grew fiery as his jaw clenched.

"He HURT you? Again?!"

She didn't look at him.

"I'll kill him!"

"No …" she croaked as more tears dripped from her eyes. "Don't bother …"

He looked at her again, and placed his arm around her small shaking shoulders.

"He doesn't know how lucky he is …" Jack spoke softly to her.

"What are you talking about?"

He pulled her hair out of her face and pushed it neatly behind her right ear. His fingers lingered on her cheek. Bringing his lips to her ear he spoke.

"He's stupid to leave you … he's lucky to have had you. Anyone is … you deserve better …" he paused. She closed her eyes and let his low whisper chill her to the bone. Just his nearness to her sent her body crazy. But his voice, Oh! His voice was amazing.

"He wasn't good enough for you. He didn't do anything for you." More huskily he added," I'd die for you." Her eyes shot open as tears sprang to her eyes. "And I'm not good enough for you." He finished.

"Yes!" she practically shouted. He hadn't meant for her to hear his confession.

"You're better than good enough." She assured as she kissed his temple and laid her head in his lap. He stroked her back with on hand while the other became tangled in her hair.

"They'll find me any minute …" he noted.

"I know." She whispered. "But- until they do – I'll be with you."

He smiled as he pressed a kiss to the back of her neck.

"I love you." She whispered.

"I always have." He replied.

And there they sat, huddled together in a dark hall, hiding- wondering what the next 4 hours would bring them. Only on thing was apparent: Morris was no longer in her life, and she was now in Jack's, more forcefully than she'd ever been. No matter what came next, they knew they'd be okay; because as long as they were together … they couldn't ask for much else. They, together, already had everything and could do anything.

END


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